Crunchy Spiral Cucumber Salad
This spiral cucumber salad holds a sesame, soy and chilli dressing in every cut. Salt briefly, squeeze gently and dress just before serving.
Samla2 min read
The chopsticks are only a guide
The spiral cut looks harder than it is. Lay the cucumber between two chopsticks and they stop the knife before it reaches the board. The finished cucumber holds more dressing and is fun to serve, but do not let the cutting put you off. Smashed chunks taste just as good.
The salad is still circulating: Delish included a version in its June 2026 social-recipe roundup.
Ingredients
- long cucumbers
- fine salt
- rice vinegar
- light soy sauce
- sesame oil
- chilli crisp
- garlic clove, finely grated
- sugar
- spring onions, sliced
- toasted sesame seeds
Method
- Place a cucumber between two chopsticks. Cut diagonal slices almost through to the sticks, turn it over, then cut straight across at the same spacing. Repeat with the second cucumber.
- Toss with salt and rest in a colander for 10 minutes. Rinse briefly and squeeze gently in a clean towel.
- Stir the vinegar, soy, sesame oil, chilli crisp, garlic and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
- Toss the cucumbers with the dressing, spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Skip the spiral if you like
Smack the cucumbers with the side of a knife and tear them into chunks, or cut thick coins. Irregular edges still hold plenty of dressing.
Dress it at the last minute
Acid and salt keep pulling water from cucumber. For the loudest crunch, salt ahead but add the dressing no more than ten minutes before eating.
